Alfa Restoration

Walter · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2005, 03:59 PM

Is anyone in southern New England (MA,RI,CT) doing any restoration work on their Alfa's this winter?

81gtv6 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-10-2005, 04:26 PM

I think GTD (?) might have a project or two up in NH?

Does a 3.0 conversion count as a restoration?

GTD · #3 (**permalink**) 01-10-2005, 06:37 PM

Jake
Those Rhodee's consider us Northern New Englander's!

Walter · #4 (**permalink**) 01-11-2005, 07:58 AM

Yea,
Anyplace north of the Mass. border is an overnight trip for me!

I'm about 20% into a partial restoration on a spider and am hoping to find someone nearby who's doing the same. I'm ready to start TIG welding in new rocker panels and misc. rusted out sections next month. Thankfully, most of the real dirty work is behind me. It's hard to stay motivated, but I'm shooting to get it ready for the painter's shop by spring.

GTD · #5 (**permalink**) 01-11-2005, 08:58 AM

Yea; It seems it's much easier to put the tools down than to pick them up and continue with the project!

That's the great thing about this ABB - the Synergy can get you restarted when nothing else succeeds.

Go for that TIG torch Walt! Get it clean-tite-and right! Remember- the metal your installing is holding together a piece of driveable automotive history!

Walter · #6 (**permalink**) 01-11-2005, 09:24 AM

Thanks for the encouraging support. I thought all the other N.E. Alfa guys were hibernating! This BB is great, but most of the activity seems to be west coast (where the Alfa's never get put away for the winter).

There should be a mandatory five day waiting period and a special license required to buy Bondo. Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to many, there is no such thing as B.O.R.-15 (Bondo over rust). The poor application of the stuff has caused more damage to my cars lower panels than if they were left alone.

84_SPIDER · #7 (**permalink**) 01-11-2005, 08:34 PM

Walter:
I have some really crusty rocker panels on my '84 Spider. How involved was the process of removing the offending peices, and welding in the new stuff? I don't weld, and will need to have it done in the future. I just want to get more educated before I make a decision to have it done.

Walter · #8 (**permalink**) 01-12-2005, 08:10 AM

Hi Marc,

Check out this excellent website link that was provided by a member of this bulletin board:
http://alfacentro.com/features/gtjr/p0015.html

The removal of my outer rusted out rocker panels was not difficult once I had viewed the numerous web links in the restoration section of the BB about the process. Although I know how to TIG weld body panels, I had never worked on a unibody car before so I'm learning too. This is my first Alfa project so I'm trying to learn from others who have already done it prior to attempting any work on my car. As you can see from my other postings, I usually ask about something before I actually do it.

I used a cut-off disk in my grinder to make a small slice between the spot welds on the outer panel (just like the above web link describes) and used a small cold chisel to pry the outer panel off. Mine were so rusted, that a slight tap of the hammer on the chisel easily broke the piece free. I had the entire outer rocker panel off in about an hour. Then I put a medium wire brush in my grinder and removed the rust scale on the middle panel. Then I used a fine brush in the grinder to remove the surface rust to prep the area for TIG welding. I'm planning to use the POR-15 system to coat all of the exposed areas prior to TIG welding in the new outer panels.